Remedies: Ingrown Toenail...Gross

So I had the not so happy experience of an ingrown toenail these past few weeks. I have had it before, at least three years ago now and was able to cure it by a really easy home remedy my doctor told me to try. And I mean REALLY easy. I have found that lots of people experience this and many go through surgery without trying home remedies themselves first so I decided to post this. You never know, might come in handy.

Ingrown toenails almost always occur on the big toe. There are a few things that can cause it and these should definitely be things you should avoid when feel your toe start aching. Here are a few things you can do to cure and releave some pain.

Picture from http://www.bodycarespecialist.com/pedicure-supplies

• Don't were tight or heeled shoes. If you can wear open toe shoes to allow your skin to breathe and not be packed tight inside a shoe. (Unfortunately for me this was not possible walking around campus all day and then in tight fitting ice skates the next. Ouch)
• Soak your toe in HOT water, the hottest water you can bear, the warmer the better. This not only helps kill bacteria and keep it clean but helps bring any infection or puss (I know really gross.) to the surface and eventually releases. I read you should soak for at least 20 minutes every day.
• After soaking feel free to rub on some antibacterial cream to the toe. 
• If you can, put some gauze roll in between the toe nail and skin, if it is the corner of your toenail digging into the skin this shouldn't be too bad to do. If it was like mine, the side of your toenail growing in too far, you probably won't be able to do this. 
• Pain relievers are good to take too if you can't just lie on the couch all day. 
• Make sure that you always cut your toe nail straight across the top, curving it and cutting the corners can cause ingrown toenails. Make sure to tell the pedicurist to cut it straight if you get your toes done often.
• Having a rounded toenail surface rather than flat also makes you more prone to get ingrown toenails so take extra care in looking after those toes!

Take care!

~M